Metro Detroit's retirement-age population is surging

Metro Detroit's retirement-age population is surging while other age groups are leaving the area, new U.S. Census data shows .

Why it matters: The growth in the number of residents 65-plus places pressures on services targeting older adults , including health care, affordable housing and transportation.

• An aging population can also drain the economy if people drop out of the workforce to care for older relatives. Nearly 70% of older adults will need long-term care services, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies .

The big picture: The fluctuations in Metro Detroit's population reflect a broader national phenomenon.

• Nationally, the 65-plus population grew 9.4% between 2020 and 2023, per Census data.

Zoom in: Metro Detroit's 65-and-older population grew 8.6% during the same period.

• Overall, the area's population dropped 1.1%, the data shows.

What they're saying: "What's particularly remarkable is the near-universal increase in the older population for metro areas across the country," Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, said in the agency's analysis .

🗣️ Tell us: Do you know someone choosing to relocate to Detroit for retirement? Why did they choose to come here?

• Email detroit@axios.com and let us know.